Everything was on the line for Louisville back on Nov. 29 against Rutgers. Down by 11 points in the third quarter, the Cardinals needed a spark.

They had one problem: star sophomore quarterback Teddy Bridgewater with wrist and ankle injuries, so he hadn't taken a snap all night.

Louisville sophomore quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is the catalyst for a Louisville offense that will face a stout Florida defense Wednesday in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.The Associated Press

But Bridgewater, the Big East Offensive Player of the Year, laughed in the face of adversity that night, catapulting Louisville to a comeback victory with two touchdown passes in a 16-second span.

Junior wide receiver Damian Copeland said Bridgewater's determination and zeal for the game and the team empowered the players.

"It rubs off on all of us because we knew going in Teddy was banged up," Copeland said. "Just to go out there he showed a lot of heart and gained a lot of respect for that. It got the other guys going, and it basically showed me what Teddy is all about."

In two days Louisville will battle Florida in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, and Bridgewater and the team say his injuries won't inhibit his performance.

"The Rutgers game is just kind of what we know of Teddy, what his habit has been around our facility," Watson said. "There's no way he wasn't going to play in that Rutgers game. Real honestly he was playing on one leg and with one arm ... He just wills himself to great moments, gives it up for his teammates."

Bridgewater (6-foot-3, 218 pounds) threw 25 touchdown passes and just seven interceptions this season in averaging 287.7 yards per game.

Ironically, Bridgewater said Florida recruited him as a quarterback out of Miami Northwestern Senior High School. Urban Meyer coached the Gators at that time, and Bridgewater said he actually was interested in playing wide receiver for Florida.

"(That was) because of the system they ran back when Urban Meyer was there," Bridgewater said. "I had a scholarship from a few schools in Florida, but I just went with where my heart was. I prayed about it; it was a tough decision to leave home, but it was worth it."

Now he's facing Florida with a chance to increase exposure for his Louisville team. And one thing is for sure: Bridgewater won't waste the opportunity.

"Each and every day has been a grind-it-out day," Bridgewater said. "Games like these, we’re going to try to put an ‘S’ on our chests and a cape on our back. You just take what they give you.”

He seized his first opportunity as a freshman last season when he became the first true freshman to play in a game for Louisville since Brian Brohm in 2004. Bridgewater earned his first start against Kentucky on Sept. 17, 2011 for an injured Will Stein, and he's played in every game since.

Watson said Bridgewater is a quarterback who flourishes as a leader in tough situations. He wants that extra pressure. He's sure to get it managing Louisville's pro-style offense against Florida's defense.

"Teddy wants to be coached hard. He really challenges me as a coach," Watson said. "He does not want me to be easy on him. He wants me to be tough on him, and he expects that out of me.

"I've been doing this 30 years and coaching (quarterback) for 20 of those 30, and I've never had a guy who could do so much so early. He sees himself succeeding at everything he does. So we put a lot of responsibility on him, and he's evolved from day one."